Helping out family isn’t always as simple as it sounds.

What would you do if a relative asked for financial help but had a history of never paying you back? Would you give them the money and hope for the best? Or would you offer an alternative solution to make sure they actually got what they needed?

In the following story, one woman finds herself in this exact situation when her sister asks for grocery money. Here’s how it played out.

AITA for offering to get my sister groceries from the dollar tree?

My (34/f) sister (43/f) is broke and has no groceries (according to her. I have not personally seen her kitchen). She is asking me for $40 to “borrow” (she never pays anyone back) so she can get some groceries.

I told her I was really strapped for cash right now myself as I just had to pay rent, bills, and take my dog to the emergency vet, which in itself cost $487. I won’t get paid again until next week.

As a note, she does not work due to several health issues. Her husband works but doesn’t make that much, yet somehow makes “too much” to qualify for food stamps.

She came up with a plan, but the sister was not satisfied.

I told my sister that what I could do was go to the Dollar Tree and get some stuff to help get them by until he got paid. She got upset and offended and said, “Um… no thanks, I’m good.”

I told her I watched this lady on TikTok who makes really good-looking stuff with dollar tree items. She still said no, especially because their meat looks nasty, and the main meal she eats daily is meatloaf, which I really can’t afford to get ground beef as it’s so expensive around here right now.

I told her well, beggars can’t be choosers. That’s her option: either that or go hungry. She said she’d rather go hungry and hung up on me.

AITA?

Wow! It may not be what she asked for, but there must’ve been a better way to handle it.

Let’s check out how the folks over at Reddit weigh in on this situation.

Here’s an example of someone else making too much for Food Stamps.

This person had to teach her sister a lesson.

As this person points out, the sister should be grateful.

This person has also seen the lady who makes Dollar Tree dinners.

What an entitled sister!

If you’re struggling and asking for help, you don’t get to make the rules – you take what you can get!

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.